Buffalo vs. Kent State

Buffalo and Kent State first met in 1966 and have played 29 times; Buffalo leads the series 16–⁠13. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Buffalo 6–⁠4, and Buffalo has won the last 3.

Buffalo wins
16
Kent State wins
13
Ties
0
First meeting
1966
Longest streak
4 Kent State
Current streak
3 Buffalo
Last 10 meetings
Buffalo 6–⁠4
Most recent
2025

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1960s3–⁠1
1970s0–⁠1
1990s0–⁠1
2000s5–⁠5
2010s4–⁠3
2020s4–⁠2
Average margin
13.5 points; 13 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Buffalo
6–⁠7 Buffalo’s record at home
At Kent State
6–⁠10 Kent State’s record at home

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Games that tell the story

  1. Buffalo’s biggest win2024: Buffalo 43, Kent State 7by 36 points
  2. Kent State’s biggest win2004: Kent State 33, Buffalo 7by 26 points
  3. Upset2008: Kent State 24, Buffalo 21Kent State had a 21% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset2005: Buffalo 10, Kent State 6Buffalo had a 29% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset2006: Buffalo 41, Kent State 14Buffalo had a 29% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsBuffaloSeriesKent State
2001–⁠2003Jim Hofher0–⁠3Dean Pees
2006–⁠2009Turner Gill3–⁠1Doug Martin
2015–⁠2017Lance Leipold2–⁠1Paul Haynes
2018–⁠2020Lance Leipold2–⁠1Sean Lewis

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Buffalo’s side (Hofher 0–⁠3 against Pees). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Buffalo and Kent State, 1966 on130015001700197019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Jaret Patterson Buffalo36 carries, 409 yards, 8 TD2020 Rushing
Nick Holley Kent State24 carries, 224 yards, 4 TD2016 Rushing
Branden Oliver Buffalo31 carries, 185 yards, 4 TD2013 Rushing
James Starks Buffalo24 carries, 162 yards, 3 TD2006 Rushing

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

Every game

Sep 13, 2025Buffalo 31, Kent State 28at Kent State
Nov 26, 2024Buffalo 43, Kent State 7at Buffalo
Oct 21, 2023Buffalo 24, Kent State 6at Kent State
Nov 26, 2022Kent State 30, Buffalo 27at Buffalo
Oct 9, 2021Kent State 48, Buffalo 38at Kent State
Nov 28, 2020Buffalo 70, Kent State 41at Buffalo
Nov 14, 2019Kent State 30, Buffalo 27at Kent State
Nov 6, 2018Buffalo 48, Kent State 14at Buffalo
Sep 30, 2017Buffalo 27, Kent State 13at Kent State
Oct 8, 2016Kent State 44, Buffalo 20at Buffalo
Nov 5, 2015Buffalo 18, Kent State 17at Kent State
Oct 26, 2013Buffalo 41, Kent State 21at Kent State
Sep 19, 2012Kent State 23, Buffalo 7at Buffalo
Nov 27, 2009Buffalo 9, Kent State 6at Kent State
Nov 28, 2008Kent State 24, Buffalo 21at Buffalo
Nov 24, 2007Buffalo 30, Kent State 23at Kent State
Nov 4, 2006Buffalo 41, Kent State 14at Buffalo
Nov 12, 2005Buffalo 10, Kent State 6at Kent State
Nov 6, 2004Kent State 33, Buffalo 7at Buffalo
Nov 22, 2003Kent State 34, Buffalo 24at Kent State
Oct 26, 2002Kent State 16, Buffalo 12at Buffalo
Oct 20, 2001Kent State 35, Buffalo 13at Kent State
Nov 4, 2000Buffalo 20, Kent State 17at Buffalo
Oct 30, 1999Kent State 41, Buffalo 20at Kent State
Sep 26, 1970Kent State 27, Buffalo 21at Kent State
Oct 4, 1969Kent State 17, Buffalo 8at Buffalo
Sep 21, 1968Buffalo 21, Kent State 13at Kent State
Sep 16, 1967Buffalo 30, Kent State 6at Buffalo
Sep 17, 1966Buffalo 27, Kent State 23at Kent State

Every game is listed as played on the field.